CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Five Southeast Missouri players earned All-Ohio Valley Conference honors for their efforts during the 2025 season, the league announced ahead of this week's postseason tournament Tuesday.
 
Shortstop Sydney Dennis, third baseman Brooklyn Saysoff, catcher Sydney Melton and outfielder Madison Winkler each earned first-team accolades, while pitcher Delaney Kell claimed a spot on this year's second-team.
 
A native of Eureka, Missouri, Dennis earned first-team All-OVC laurels for the first time in her career. She leads the team and ranks tied for second in the OVC with a .413 batting average through 41 games and 40 starts this season. 
 
Dennis tops the Redhawks in hits (59), runs scored (33) and triples (3), and ranks second in doubles (13) and stolen bases (12). She has a team-high 19 multiple-hit games and once held a career-long 18-game hitting streak (Feb. 22-Mar. 22) which stands tied for third among the longest hitting streaks in NCAA Division I softball this season.
 
Saysoff, who hails from Blue Springs, Missouri, is SEMO's second-leading hitter behind Dennis with a .389 batting average. She started 33 of her 40 games at third base. Saysoff leads the OVC with 49 RBI and is second with 15 doubles. She also has 51 hits, 28 runs scored and is second on the team with five home runs. 
 
In conference play, Saysoff was SEMO's top hitter with a .429 batting average. Additionally, she leads the team with 13 multiple-hit games and like Dennis, held a double-digit game hitting streak earlier in the year when she hit safely in 11-straight games from Mar. 22-Apr. 18. Saysoff made the first-team as an at-large selection due to a tie in voting.
 
Melton, from Eddyville, Kentucky, started 40 games between catcher (24) and designated player (16). She ranks third on the team with a .350 batting average and is tied for second with Saysoff in home runs (5). Melton registered 43 hits, 23 runs scored, 10 doubles, 25 RBI and nine walks. She was hit by pitch a team-high seven times and is second on the team with 15 multiple-hit performances.
 
Winkler, who transferred to SEMO from Louisville, is hitting .345 in her first year as a Redhawk. A native of Crofton, Kentucky, Winkler ranks fourth on the team in batting average, runs (27) and hits (41), and is second in both walks (18) and stolen bases (14). She notched six doubles, one triple and 17 RBI. Winkler had a 10-game hitting streak (Apr. 7-27) as the third SEMO player to get a hit in at least 10-consecutive games this season. She also landed a spot on the league's 12-member All-Newcomer Team.
 
Kell, who hails from Salem, Illinois, makes the All-OVC Softball Team for the second time in her career. She holds a 9-3 record and OVC best 2.33 ERA in 19 appearances and 10 starts. Kell leads the Redhawks in complete games (6), shutouts (2), saves (1), strikeouts (48) and innings pitched (75.0). In OVC play, she fashioned a 7-2 record with a 1.08 ERA, five complete games and 41 strikeouts in 58.1 innings. Kell recently recorded a career-high nine strikeouts in a complete game win at Tennessee State (May 3). 
 
Eastern Illinois' Kendall Grover and Western Illinois' Payton Brown shared the OVC Player of the Year award, while EIU's McKenzie Oslanzi and SIU Edwardsville's Avery Arwood were named the league's Pitcher and Freshman of the Year, respectively. SIUE's Ben Sorden was tabbed OVC Coach of the Year.
 
#3 SEMO begins postseason play at the OVC Tournament against the winner of #6 Tennessee State and #7 Tennessee Tech at 3 p.m., CT Wednesday in Peoria, Illinois.
 
2025 All-Ohio Valley Conference Softball Teams
2025 OVC CO-PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Kendall Grover, Eastern Illinois
2025 OVC CO-PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Payton Brown, Western Illinois
2025 OVC PITCHER OF THE YEAR: McKenzie Oslanzi, Eastern Illinois
2025 OVC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Avery Arwood, SIUE
2025 OVC COACH OF THE YEAR: Ben Sorden, SIUE
 
FIRST TEAM
P - McKenzie Oslanzi, Eastern Illinois
P – Karlie McKenzie, Eastern Illinois
P – Avery Arwood, SIUE
C – Sydney Melton, Southeast Missouri
INF - Kendall Grover, Eastern Illinois
INF – Sydney Dennis, Southeast Missouri
INF – Kaylynn Salyars, SIUE
INF – Payton Brown, Western Illinois
OF – Karson Davey, Eastern Illinois
OF – Maddy Christopher, Morehead State
OF – Madison Winkler, Southeast Missouri
DP – Morgan Hance, Eastern Illinois
UTIL – Piper Montgomery, SIUE
At-Large – Brooklyn Saysoff, Southeast Missouri

SECOND TEAM
P – Avery Wapp, Lindenwood
P – Delaney Kell, Southeast Missouri
C – Tori Hatton, Lindenwood
INF – Kendra Lewis, Morehead State
INF – Sela Pickford, Morehead State
INF – Emma Henderson, SIUE
INF – Sydney Kirby, Tennessee Tech
OF – Abbey Crain, Eastern Illinois
OF – Nicole Henson, Lindenwood
OF – Caroline Stapleton, Southern Indiana
DP – Hailey Hunt, Tennessee State
UTIL – Jordan Mackey, Southern Indiana
At-Large – Kylie Witthaus, Southern Indiana
At-Large – Alli Robinson, UT Martin

ALL-NEWCOMER
Payton Brown, Western Illinois
Avery Arwood, SIUE
Morgan Hance, Eastern Illinois
Madison Winkler, Southeast Missouri
Hailey Hunt, Tennessee State
Kylie Witthaus, Southern Indiana
Ryleigh Owens, Lindenwood
Jordan Mackey, Southern Indiana
Abbi Hatton, Eastern Illinois
Ruby Tarr, Western Illinois
Jace Jackson, Tennessee State
Kaylin Fahy, SIUE